Looking for a way to engage your community around issues of immigration and the border?

BorderLinks leads workshops for groups staying at BorderLinks and those who wish to have a shorter educational experience for their class, church, or civic group. Workshops are interactive learning experiences that cover issues such as immigration and economic policy, fair trade, privilege, and intercultural understanding. If you are not staying at BorderLinks but would like to participate in a workshop, BorderLinks can bring the workshop to you!

Border History: Construction of the border wall in Nogales began in 1994 with Operation Safeguard, part of an effort to seal the areas around urban ports of entry by increasing security features such as physical barriers, technological surveillance, and Border Patrol and military staffing.Learn about the evolution of the U.S./Mexico border and how it has been — and continues to be — shaped by government policies.

Market Basket Survey: Explore the prices of everyday groceries in Border Town Mexico; then compare the time cost of those items with groceries purchased in the United States. This interactive workshop leads to discussion of and reflection on how our food system guarantees low prices, and how different it is to shop and eat in Mexico.

Solidarity and Charity: The Solidarity/Charity Workshop focuses on providing a space to reflect and address the difference between being a part of the struggle and providing support for those directly affected. We explore the intricacies of social action and contextualize the concepts of charity, “white savior” complexes, and understand what true solidarity might look like. Participants will reflect on the healthiest ways to form long and meaningful relationships in their own communities, that will help further our quest for liberation.

Raining Rocks: This activity requires participants to put themselves in the roles of social organizers, politicians, and corporate executives to address a fictional (yet relevant) problem facing a local community. Raining Rocks is a useful workshop to open up a broader discussion for understanding how power dynamics--as well as the logics supporting them--contribute to and perpetuate injustice.